September 9, 2004

ValleyViewpoints

Homeowners at risk from ‘granny flats’

Editor,
The term ‘granny flats’ obscures the realities of building second housing units on 6000 to 8000 square foot home sites. This might be good for realtors but is it good for the community and environment to introduce problems of parking, noise, road congestion, infrastructure, crime, lowering of home values, and diminished living conditions?

The term ‘granny flat’ is a smoke screen for low income rentals; real grandmothers will be few and far between.
Vice Mayor Pat Dando, intervened and local hearings allowed the public to learn about AB 1166 before the city’s arbitrary imposition. At the Almaden Valley meeting, only one resident approved AB 1166 while sixty strongly opposed.

We bought R1code homes with the expectation zoning was inviolate. Home owners should be aware that legislators, by confiscating property rights, are imposing socialistic controls and earning the distrust of the voting public.

AB 2702 is facing a vote in Sacramento and, if the clear preference of Almaden residents has any value, it should not pass into law.

Ed Grossmith
Little Falls Drive

Grassroots group calls themselves the ‘Magnificent Seven’

Editor,
Seven people got together on July 21 to form a committee for the preservation to save the name Almaden Branch Library. They coined themselves CPALN. Some of these seven had never met before, but by Aug. 10, the day the City council was to decide on the issue, they had become fast friends.

Sometimes they met twice a day to go over their strategy. They produced 4,000 flyers to hand deliver door to door in as much area as seven people and a few good friends could cover. A handbill license and temporary business license was obtained; a Web site was produced so that residents could access it for an easier way to e-mail the mayor and council members. One member offered her husband’s P.O. box so that we could have a mailing address for the results of the flyers, and another offered her e-mail address for easy response. Petitions were also used as was a mailing to the Friends of Almaden and Vineland Libraries. Notebooks were produced with the results and samples of the findings and hand delivered to the mayor and all 10 councilmen.

The tireless bunch walked and walked, knowing it was going to be an uphill battle. Shin splints were had, blisters, sore muscles, but the tireless seven kept walking. But how could the council ignore the numbers? The final statistics by Aug. 10 was 828 responses to keep the name Almaden Branch Library and 16 to change it to the Doris Dillon Almaden Valley Branch Library. That is 98 percent in favor of keeping the name. I wish to thank the residents of Almaden, for responding to our plea.

Thank you magnificent seven for believing in the democratic process.

One of our seven, Phyllis House, presented us with a certificate of appreciation. “With admiration and gratitude for extraordinary service in the process of presenting the Renaming the Almaden Library issue to the Almaden community and its people for committing endless time and thought to the issue by walking the flyers, presenting results, keeping those around you aware of the results, and by staying true to the democratic process in the quest”.

On the morning of Aug. 10, Gary Dillon had decided to withdraw the request to rename the library. The council voted on that evening to keep the name Almaden Branch Library and name the children’s area in the new library after Doris Dillon. The seven were there to hear the results of the motion. The seven wonderful and energetic people are: Don and Phyllis House, Judith Tarpey, Linda Spencer, Liesel Wilson, Bob Durbeck and I, Diane Perovich.

Diane Perovich
Royalwood Way

Dad frustrated with lack of playing fields

Editor,

My children used to play soccer in the Almaden Soccer League. We recently merged with a team in one of the neighboring leagues. When it came time to decide which league to register and play with, the coaches decided to register with the other league. The deciding factor was that in the other league, there is field space available and the fields are not so overused. Every time I drive out of my community to go to practice, I get frustrated.
Please hurry up with the fields so we can come home to play in our own area.

Bob Penny
Almaden Valley